When the Rabbids invade, hijinks ensue. But this invasion is more of an anomaly - an inspired collision of musical cues from the legacy of Super Mario and the equally fantastical world of the riotous Rabbids. Sewn together in sweet - and delightfully irreverent - harmony, the soundtrack to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is darn cute, playful and enjoyably weird - an expertly crafted cartoon journey, thanks to the king himself, mythic composer Grant Kirkhope (Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Pinata, Goldeneye). Bolstering the fun is an impossibly adorable package, complete with a fuzzy mustache (no joke) and a paper doll playset to enhance your own whimsy.

I mean, yes...technically this is true. Ubisoft had some help from Mario and the gang to make that happen, though. I'd like to know who the top third party publisher on Switch is as far as games without Mario go!

While Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle only just launched in Japan today, Nintendo has confirmed that the upcoming Donkey Kong DLC will be launching in Spring. When there's a more specific date, we'll be sure to share it with you.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is finally available in Japan as of today. Famitsu is reminding readers of that fact with the full-page ad seen above. It'll be interesting to see where this game lands on the weekly sales charts. Let's hope for another Switch hit!

The following comes from Jake Solomon, creative director and design lead for XCOM.

The first time I heard about Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, I was hunkered in my hotel room in Los Angeles during the E3 expo in June. I was feverishly preparing a presentation of my own game, XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, while half-listening to the Nintendo press conference in the background. I didn’t pay much attention. It seemed a vague stream of soothing words like “amiibo” and “Yoshi.”

And then I began to hear something else: familiar phrases, to me at least, like “turn-based tactics” and “half cover.” I paused, turned up the volume, and watched.

It was one of the most surreal experiences of my professional life. There was Luigi, sliding into cover, his gun at the ready. There was Mario, unloading a volley of blaster fire from his overwatch position. And there was Princess Peach, weighing a 50 percent shot on an enemy.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle introduces a new playable hero, Donkey Kong, in upcoming downloadable content. Donkey Kong will be featured in an original story, taking place in a new world. Donkey Kong will be exclusive to this brand new adventure, planned for release in Spring 2018.

The DLC will available as part of the Season Pass or can be purchased as stand-alone content.

Japan has been waiting patiently for the release of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. With the title finally set for launch next week, Ubisoft and Nintendo have let loose with the advertising. As you can see above, there's some in-store advertising, as well as a giant billboard on display!